We are a K-8 aned our Spagetti Feed is an annual event put on by the 8th graders. They decorate the gym with checkered tablecloths, and christmas lights. We have an arch that is used for graduation, that we add ivy to and make the gym look like an italian resturant. The kids do all the serving, they dress up in black pants or skirts and white shirt or blouse. It is very fun and a huge moneymake. Your 6th graders could probably do the serving, at least then the 6th grade parents would likely come as well as all of their friends.
We sell our tickets beforehand. We have our spaghetti donated by a couple of business and our meatsauce is donated by a local manufacturer. We buy the ingrediants for the rolls and the cafeteria staff makes them for us. The local Little Ceasers' donates crazy bread that we use for take out. A local grocery store bakery sells us cakes and icing at a little below cost. We ice ourselves. Walmart distribution donates lettuce and we use the gift certificates donated by other grocery stores for the other salad fixings. Another local distributor donates the dressing.
Contact McDonald's about donating their orange drink. Ours has a program that let's us use a large container and they donate several gallons of concentrate.
Being in the south, we serve tea which is cheap and easy.
Our spaghetti dinner is part of our fundraiser, but maybe you can get some ideas for approaching donors. Ryans Steakhouses are really good about donating cookies.
Make sure you contact any TV and radio stations and newspapers in your area. Some will give free or reduced price advertising to non-profits. A local radio station may even be interested in doing a live remote from your school. Most importantly, make sure you have all your supplies and volunteers ready so the night goes smoothly and you don't run out of things.
Well - we have a dinner on the night of Open House and it is VERY well attended. At this point, I would send home flyers probably every day for the next four days and try to get people to buy tickets in advance. You could do cheaper price in advance, a little more at the door to help get people to commit. You could also have a contest for the class who has the most tickets sold. I did Costco lettuce and then added - chopped carrots, celery, garbanzo beans, kidney beans, tomatos and red onion to the salad. We dressed the salad lightly and then kept some bottles out for people who wanted more. We premade all the garlic bread and kept it in the oven, pulling them out and slicing as needed. I pre-cooked a bunch of pasta to get started, then dipped it back into boiling water to soften up and sauced it up. We had people bring desserts and sold those separately for 50 cents. We offered lemonade and punch with the dinner free and sold sodas for 50 cents. We also put signs up in the neighborhood. We have an authentic Mexican dinner for our open house, so it is pretty popular. Our pasta dinner is a different fundraiser. I'd ask the teachers if the kids could make posters during art time and put them up everywhere!! Good luck.
Any help or suggestions would be welcomed and appreciated. We are still in the planning state and do not have very much figured out so far. WE need ideas on what to do the night of open house as well as ways to promote the spegehtti supper fundraiser. Need some ideas that will really draw people in and raise funds. Thought about pre sale of tickets to public as well as parent body. Success is vital.....being a new elementary school without a playground....it just is a must!
Can you help?
